Posted on 04/16/2010 12:00:01 PM PDT by freespirited
Had Charlie Crist announced abruptly, two months ago, that he was running as an independent, he would have taken a day or two of questions and moved on to his campaign.
Instead, he's spent two months dancing around an issue which has at this point pretty much become his campaign.
Reports the Herald:
A day after vetoing a contentious teacher tenure bill in Tallahassee, Gov. Charlie Crist basked in the warm embrace of Miami-Dade educators and deflected questions about leaving the Republican party.
"I'm not thinking about that today,'' Crist told reporters at Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High School in North Miami. "We'll look at that later on,'' Crist said of running for the U.S. Senate as an independent against Republican Marco Rubio.
Later on! How much longer does he want to spend talking about an issue that has become, for the Florida press and public, really a story about Crist's character and his Crist's critics see as his overriding opportunism.
Everyone knows he was and is going to run as an Indy. It is like old news, so I wish he would just get on with it and I pray that Rubio can overcome. The Dems want to derail Rubio not only because he is a conservative, but because he is up and coming. They could ruin his whole career and take away a rising star.
I’m ever amazed at the no. of Republicans who hate our party and seek to destroy it: Crist, McCain, even voters. Dammit!
I`m shocked, SHOCKED a RINO would run as an independent to help elect a fellow Democrat/Totalitarian !
SHOCKED I TELL YOU !
If the GOP does that, they will gain the confidence and support of a lot of tea-partiers
Tea Party endorsed a Democrat today also...
Arlene Spector did so well with this, didn’t he?
I take it that he voted AGAINST some sort of limitation on tenure for members of the teachers' union. After all, we wouldn't want to save money by firing incompetent teachers, would we?
Well I guess its time for the RINO’s to start heading down there to save Crist. Newt and Dede Scozzafava...
Maybe when the RNC is finished funding Al Sharpton they can spare some dough for Crist?
//sarcasm
Indie door? Is this like coming out of the closet?
There are still FReepers who defend the RINO’s too.
Fewer and fewer every day though.
RINO’s would rather see the Democrats win than a conservative
Yup that was part of the bill.
The other part however linked pay raises to improving test scores. I have real reservations about this. It is not necessarily the teacher’s fault when test scores do not improve as desired. The best teachers on earth cannot move the scores of some kids.
It won’t ruin Rubio’s career. Nelson’s seat will be available in 2012 and our elderly voters won’t vote for him due to his support for Obamacare.
But I don’t think it will come down to that. Marco will pull it out. If Crist switches to indy now, it will demonstrate his complete lack of character.
Tell Texas’ Sen. Cornyn to come over here and get his money back.
RINO Crist is toast. If Crist runs as an indie, he’ll lose, and Rubio wins. The only way he might possibly win is as a dem., but they are not going to dump Meeks for him because it would be worse for them than the Willie Logan debacle — death to the democratic party with the blacks deserting them and the hispanics all voting for Rubio. They still haven’t recovered from that yet and it happened over 20 years ago.
I hope you are right GatorGirl. Rubio seems like a great person/candidate. I see big things for him and I think he can sooth an injured nation.
Someone other than Minick (Idaho)?
I know they claim Minick is a DINO, but still it was a bit unsettling. We need majorities in both houses.
What a pathetic little man. Can’t win the primary so he sabatoges the general so a democrat can win. Is Obama paying you Charlie?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
SPEAKERS:
CHRIS WALLACE, HOST
GOV. CHARLIE CRIST, R-FLA.
WALLACE: Speaking of these questions about your political future, there have been persistent rumors in Florida that you are so far behind, at least currently, in the polls — double digits to Mr. Rubio — that you may run instead as an independent. Here is your chance to dispel all the rumors. Are you willing to pledge right here, right now that you will run in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate and not run as an independent?
CRIST: I’m running as a Republican. I’m very proud to be from the party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, others that really have stood up for the principles of our party, like Ronald Reagan. This is a great party. It has a great future. We have a great opportunity to win in November. It’s important that we put a candidate up that can win in November.
WALLACE: So are you ruling out that you will file as an independent by the April 30th deadline?
CRIST: That’s right. That’s right. I’m running as a Republican.
WALLACE: You will run not for a governor — you’ll run for Senate, and you will run as a — in the Republican primary.
CRIST: Chris, I’m running for the United States Senate. I know that our country needs help. I’m running as a Republican. This man to my left is a friend but I hope to defeat him on August the 24th, and I would encourage every Florida Republican to get out and vote.
WALLACE: Will you support the winner of the GOP primary, whether it’s you or Marco Rubio?
CRIST: Of course I will. Of course I will. But I think before that decision is made, people—
WALLACE: Well, I’m going to get — I’m going to — I’ll give you an opportunity for a final statement. I just want to say, though, you are saying you are going to run in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. You will not run on the no party affiliation line.
CRIST: That’s right. That’s right. That’s what I’m saying.
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